The CEOP Education Team has launched a new suite of resources as part of the Think U Know website to help protect and inform young people with additional needs around internet safety issues. There are several resources available for professionals to use with this audience and all the resources have been developed by working closely with an extensive range of disability groups and professionals working in this area. The resources have also been assessed by various focus groups of young people during their development.

Awareness Raising Film for young people who are deaf: “Sams Real Friends”

This film is a 12 minute dramatisation depicting a young boy who experiences cyberbullying and grooming online;

The key messages in this film are:

To be kind to each other online

Be aware that others can lie about who they are online

Protect personal information online

Know who to tell if you’re worried.

All actors in the film use British Sign Language.

The film is simple and linear in its portrayal, helping the audience to receive clear messages

Attention was paid to ensure accurate illustration of the deaf community (including colloquial signs and text speak);

There are two versions of the film that can be accessed, one that plays the film straight and another that plays the action with subtitles.

Awareness Raising Film for young people with special educational needs and learning disabilities: “Know your friends with Josh and Sue”

This film is a 5 minute animation depicting two friends who experience cyberbullying and grooming online;

There are four main learning points for the film that are summarised at the end of the animation to help the young people remember what happened and how they can protect themselves. The key messages are:

To be kind to each other online

Be aware that others can lie about who they are online

Protect personal information online

Know who to tell if you’re worried.

There are three versions of this animation:

One for mild to moderate needs

One for moderate to severe needs

One that places the audio in isolation, for blind and visually impaired young people.

All versions of this animation depict simple, linear and clear messages;

Lesson plans and suggested activities

Both films are accompanied by a set of curriculum linked lesson plans and suggested activity sheets. They are designed to reinforce and explore the key messages in the films through various activities and discussions and professionals can utilise and adapt these lessons and activities to make them appropriate for the young people they work with.

Textured stickers

There will also be stickers available to order by post to help support the learning and remind the young people of where to go to get help. These stickers are slightly raised and textured and can be used in workbooks or as rewards.

Some of the previously released Think U Know videos for children and young people in KS1, KS2 and KS3 (Jigsaw, Consequences and Lee and Kim) are also now available with BSL and/or subtitles.